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Spawning is more temperature driven than a specific date. We need water temps of 75 degrees or higher to trigger the spawn. Typical spawning months in Minnesota - Wisconsin are June to early August. With this cool spring here in Minnesota we have a ways to go for the spawn. If that cat had a large belly she probably just had a good meal. They will take some BIG fish for supper.

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They are all eating well now with this high water. From what I can tell, it success might be a matter of timing. I've seen spots hot at one point and a few hours later dead. They don't have look for forage constantly. Then when it is time to feed they feed in groups corralling some of the schools of minnows.

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All the channels I have caught lately have been stuffed. Surprised a few of them even thought they had room for my bait.

I would guess the spawn to be mid july this year.

I don't think that the spawn is entirely driven by temp. I think that daylight has a effect as well. The fish will trigger by the combination. Consistant warm temps can trigger an early spawn. But the fish need the fry to reach a certain size and can't wait till the end of the summer for warm water temps.

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Very good point Larry. Keep in mind too that flats and channels do not always spawn at the same time. All the fish of the same species will not all spawn at the same time either. We have all caught some of them post spawn male channels way into august. Don't worry too much about the spawn as there are usually at least a few kitties willing to bite.

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I've told the story before, but we kept some small cats to eat a long, long time ago. They were stuffed. We expects minnows, crayfish and insects to be in their bellies. They were full of cottonwood seeds (including the white 'cotton'). That was quite surprising. Before anyone asks, no, it's impossible to thread cottonwood seeds on a hook.

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Thanks guys, I like to keep a couple to eat once and a while but I wasn't going to keep one that was about to spawn. We got two that afternoon, 21' and 23', but we were making mud out of our wet backyard so we quit. Putting the dock in Thursday if the river has gone down enough so I'll try again then.

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Fridley, my hometown. Must be rough fishing from your backyard for cats. When I grew up in Fridley, where I lived the best I could do is watch a movie for free sitting in a field next to the 100 Twin. :|

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Cats do so very well in such a wide geographic range because they can adjust to conditions and spawn when they feel it the best bet going.

Water levels, temp, and flow has a major effect on when they spawn. If they feel it's as good as it's going to get, even in the low 50's, they get to it. They also adapt fast to spawning habitat changes, they use cattail clusters, holes, stumps, tires, cans, undercut banks, cars, ....whatever they find to get there love crib on.

They have a wide temp range to work with (51 - 70's)) and in our central region may spawn as early as May, and as late as July. The most common time frame for Channels is the 3rd week in June.

I have kept records back some 25 years, and on average, the 2nd to 3rd weeks in June will find males on the nest....and fish'n tough as heck.

The nest sitting lasts 11 to 14 days +/-. You find females and juveniles back on the chow quickest. Males come off the nest looking like they been through a tough deal, skinny, scared up from nesting territorial battles, and hungry.

Male channel cats are dedicated Daddies, and stay tight to the nest without feeding so they need to make up for lost body weight post spawn.

From that point on tell ice-up, it's eat'n as usual for Mr & Miss whiskers.

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Well, dave..
My error....It is not from year 2001..
According to Brett Blair, the narrator in YOUR video...
It's from year 2000.
Certainly NOT 2015.
You don't have to take my word for it..
Google can be your friend. Although, it can't get you out of the box your in..
#LMOA....

When is the quote from Bill? Is it from 2001 or 2015?
Of course he is no longer advocating for single payer. That wouldn't get him elected as a Republican. He is simply changing his narrative to tell you what you want to hear. He is very good at that but people like you don't see it or comprehend what he is doing to you.
Talk about #LIV.